Rack for display-cards.



W. B. TIMBERLAKE.

RACK FOR DISPLAY CARDS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 3. 1914.

,1 $260,095. Patented Man 19, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l ami/ Meson Wig M W. B. TIMBERLAKE.

RACK FOR DISPLAY CARDS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 3, 1914.

1 960 095. v Patented Mar. 19,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENT WILBUR B. TIMBERLAKE, OF JACKSGN, MICHIGAN.

RACK FOR DISPLAY-CARDS.

Application filed October 3. 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, lVILBrn: B. TIMBER- LAKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of bilichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Racks for Display-Cards, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to racks for holding display cards, and has for its object to produce an improved rack of this kind formed entirely, or mainly, of wire, and constructed to support the card securely, and so that it shall be held against any tendency to curl or otherwise become distorted in shape. As the invention is capable of being embodied in various forms, I have, in the accompanying drawings, illustrated six forms thereof, Figure 1 being a perspective view of one form of the invention; Fig. 2 a perspective view of another form of the invention; Fig. 3 a perspective view of a third form of the invention, the standard being broken and the base omitted; 4 a perspective view of a fourth form of the invention the stand ard being broken and the base omitted; Fig. 5 a perspective view of a fifth form of the invention the standard being broken and the base omitted; and Fig. 6 a perspective view of a sixth form of the invention, the standard being broken and the base omitted.

In each form of my invention the rack consists of a base, a standard rising therefrom, and a card frame, quadrilateral in general outline, carried by the standard. In many instances preferably but a single piece of wire enters into the formation of each rack, this being so shaped as to completely form the several parts. The base is of a shape and size to afford a firm support for the article. As represented in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, it is rectangular in outline, though other shapesmight be adopted, and from this rises the standard. In the form of invention shown in 1 the standard B rises from one side or edge of the base A, while in Fig. 2 the standard B is represented as rising from the center of the base A. Each form has advantages, that represented in Fig. 1 permitting the standard andthe card it carries to be in advance of the base, while that shown in Fig. 2 affords a better support.

The card-supporting frame is at the upper end of the standard, being preferably Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented llitar. 19, 1918.

Serial No. 864,808.

formed, as stated, either in whole or in part, from the same piece of wire as that employed in the construction of the base and standard. It will be seen by reference to the drawings, that in each form of the invention the lower edge of the card rests upon a support or supports, and that it is protected all around, that is near each of its four edges. each edge being protected on one side at least, and in some forms of the rack on both sides. Such a frame holds the card securely and flat, preventing it from curling, warping or twisting out of shape.

Tn the form of rack illustrated in Fig. 1 the card frame (3 consists of a lower horizontal bar 2, an upper horizontal bar 3, and two side bars 4, The side bars are connected respectively, with the upper and lower bars by horizontal loops 5 that preferably eX- tend forward, bringing the side bars in advance .of the horizontal bars. The lower horizontal bar consists of two members that spring from the standard B so that the card frame is centrally disposed with reference thereto. In order to support the card and hold it from falling when placed in the fram a spring clip 6 secured to the lower bar 2, preferably at the junction thereof with the standard. The loops 5 extend around the side edges of the card and prevent its lateral movement. The quadrilateral, rectangular frame formed by the bars 2, 8 and 4, 1, engages with the card all around, near each of its four edges, the upper and lower bars being behind the card, and the upright bars in front thereof. As represented in the drawings, the card is attractively exposed and supported, is securely held and prevented from Warping.

The card frame C represented in Fig. 2 difiers from that shown in Fi 1 in that a second pair of upright bars T, 7, are employed. These are preferably parallel with and just back of the bars 4,4, and directly connect the horizontal bars inside the loops 5. The bars '7 are secured to the bars 2 and 3 by brazing or by any other suitable method of connection known to the worker in wire. This frame is somewhat stronger than the one illustrated in Fig. 1, and gives added sup port to the card, since it embraces the side edges on both faces, the side bars or mem bers of the frame being double and spaced apart to permit the card to lie between the parts thereof.

The card frame G illustrated in Fig. 3 is similar to that shown in Fig. 1, except that the clip 6 is dispensed with, and instead the support for the lower edge of the card is formed by a loop or bend 8 in the wire between the standard B and the lower horizontal'bar 2. i

In Fig. 4 I have shown a card frame C in which the connecting loops 26 between the horizontal and the vertical side members of the frame are vertically disposed. In this arrangement the lower loops serve as the supports upon which the lower edge of the card rests, while the upper loops prevent the card from being removed from the frame upwardly. This is a desirable form where it is wished to insert the cards into the frame by a lateral horizontal movement instead of vertically. It has the same advantages of supporting the card all around near its edges as do the forms of invention already described. In thisview the lower horizontal member of the frame is designated 2, the upper horizontal member 3, and the parallel vertical members 1-".

Fig. 5 illustrates aform of the invention in which the standard B is formed of four pieces or strands of twisted wire, instead of two strands as in the constructions thus far described, and in which the four strands are caused to enter into the formation of the card frame C In. this arrangement one pair of strands constitute the members 9, 9, of one of the lower horizontal bars of the frame, and the upright or side bars 10, 10, while the other pair of strands 11, 11, constitute the other lower horizontal bar of the frame, and the second pair of upright bars 12, 12. The two sets of upright bars 10 and 12 are united at their upper ends by horizontal loops 13, 13. With this arrangement two pieces of wire bent as shown and described constitute those parts of the frame which have been described.

In order to give added strength to a frame like that shown in Fig. 5, and to furnish support for the upper edge of the card, I connect the upper ends of one or both pairs of the uprights of the frame by horizontal cross-bars. I have illustrated both sets of bars as. being so connected, the uprights 10, 10 by cross-bars 14, and the uprights 12, 12 by cross-bar 15. The frame thus formed supports the card entirely around its edges and both front and back. The lower support for the card is formed by the upper portion of the standard, where the coiled strands of wire forming it separate, as at 16. The loops 13 prevent the lateral movement of the card, which must be placed in the frame from above and enter by a vertical movement. 7

In Fig. .6 I have represented another form of double card frame C that is, one supporting the card all around both in front and in rear. In this form of the invention the standard 13 is made up of a pair of strands which separate to formthe lower horizontal member 17 of the'frame. At the ends of this lowerhorizontal bar are downward extending vertical loops 18 between which extend a second horizontal bar 19, the loops 18 serving as the supports for the lower edge of the card. Each pair of uprights 20,.

The frames herein described are intended primarily for supporting display cards, al-

through they may be used for holding and protecting pictures and other similar articles; and I employ the term card herein as a generic term to indicate a flat article adapted to be supported in frames such as described, whether that article be of paper, cardboard, or other material.

It will be observed that'the quadrilateral rectangular skeleton frame in each form of the invention has a parallel set of bars lying adjacent'to the horizontal edges of the card and another set of parallel bars arranged adjacent to the vertical edges of the card; and that both bars of each set are not only parallel but are disposed sothey lie upon the same side of the card, while the bars of one set areoffset with reference to those ofthe other set and united thereto by loops so that the bars which are at right, angles to each other are on opposite sides .of the card; andso.

also that the rectangular frame produced by the bars is open along one edge atleast to permit thefree introduction of the card edgewise into the frame and betweenthe bars. This arrangement affords a very complete protectionto the supported card, which is of advantage when the latter is made of frangible material,v as it is practically impossible for the card to comeinto direct engagement with the support on Which the rack might be placed should the latter be overturned. v

What I claim is t 1. A Card rack having a quadrilateral rectangular skeleton frame adapted to support a card and protect it all. around near its edges, having a set of verticalparallel bars and a set of horizontal parallelbars, thefbars of each set being arranged to lie near opposite edges of the card supported, and those of one set being ffset with reference to those of the other set and united thereto bvvloops, whereby is produced a frame open along one edge at least to permit the free introduction of the card edgewise into the frame and between the bars.

2. A card rack having quadrilateral rectangular skeleton frame adapted to support a card and protect it all around rear its edges, having a set of Vertical parallel bars and a set of horizontal parallel bars, the bars of each set being arranged to lie near opposite edges of the card supported, and those of one set being offset with reference to those of the other set and united thereto by horizontally disposed lo ps, and the frame being also provided With means for engaging with the lower edge of the card and supporting it.

Jr display racl: having a standard and a card-supporting frame the standard being formed of wi e and the frame of continuations of the ame Wire as that which constitute the Si'2:(l211'l, and the frame being of rectangulm skeleton formation havin parallel l'iorizontal bars, and parallel upright bars united at their ends resoectivel i with the horizontal bars by horizontal loops,

whereby the vertical bars are adapted to be disposed on one face of the supported card and the horizontal bars on the opposite face thereof, he frame, extending all around the card near its edges.

4 In a display card rack, a card-supporting frame formed of Wire and having upper and lower horizontal, and upright, bars forming a rectangular frame arranged to engage with the supported card near each four edges, the uprights being connected with the horizontal bars by horizontal loops that serve to prevent lateral displacement of the card andalso dispose the horizontal bars on one face of the card and the upright bars on the other, and the frame being provided with means engaging with the lower edge of the card to sustain it against falling.

In a display card rack, a card-supportng frame formed of wire and having upper end lower horizontal, and upright, bars "ouning a rectangular frame arranged to ngage with the supported card near each of its four edges, the uprights being connected with the horizontal bars by horizontal loops that serve to prevent lateral displacemenrv of the card and also dispose the horizontal bars on one face of the card and the upright bars on the other, and a second set of upright bars parallel with those first mentioned but disposed on the opposite face of the card, and the frame being provided with means engaging with the lower edge of the card to sustain it against falling.

VVILBUR B. TIMBERLAKE.

Witnesses GINA CHAsE, ERNEST M. MOORE.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

